Electrical arrangement for displaying pictures and communications



June 28, 1938. I K ROSENBERG 2,121-,987-

ELECTRICAL ARRANGEMENT FOR DISPLAYING PICTURES AND COMMUNICATIONS June 28, 1938. l K. RosENBERG 2,121,987'

ELECTRICAL ARNANQENENT FOR DISPLAYING PIcTuRs AND coMMuNIcATIoNs Filed May 14, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 2 LAMP BANK /o/ ,coNNEcTlNG CABLE. 03* SWITC/HING VESSELS LIGHT lat-:spouoms /f f /23 DEVICE INVENTOR K, Ross/V35?? y BY AZT-r oRNEY Patented June 28, 1938 PATENT vori-ICE 'ELECTRICAL ARRANGEMENT FOB DISPLAY; ING PICTURES AND COMMUNICATIONS Kurtl Rosenberg, Berlin, Germany, assignor.' by mesne assignments, to American Epok Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation' of New York Application May 14,

1935, Serial No. 21,332

In Germany JuneS, 1934 10 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in an electrical arrangement for displayingr pictures and communications by means of a lamp screen. Primarily, the invention relates to improvements of arrangements as described in my co-pcnding application Serial No. 692,884, filed October 9th, 1933, which issued into Patent 2,069,851.

It is an object of the invention to increase the eiiiciency of such arrangement. V

It is another object of the invention to reduce the number of discharge vessels necessary for controlling the incandescent lamps ofthe screen.

These and other objects of the invention will more fully be derived-from the following descriptiony with reference to the drawings. In these drawings diagrams of two electrical arrangements are shown by Way of example, realizing the principles of my invention. l

In the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a wiring arrangement according to one feature, and Fig. 2 shows such an arrangement according to another feature of the invention, while Fig. 3 is showing the way in which the alternating current is used in this invention, Fig. 4 shows a switch-arrangement for supplying intermittent direct current to the lamps and photo cells and Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically theI entire arrangement of the lamp screen, including the controlling photocells and the projector illuminating the photo cells. Identical reference numbers have the same significance.

,In-Fig. 1 groups of incandescent lamps II, I2, I3, I4, each group consisting of at least one lamp, are connected in pairs, such as pair I I, I2 and I3, I4. Obviously, the number of such pairs may be increased in any desired way in orderto'l-the desired portion of the lamp iield or to form the entire lamp bank, andin order to simplify the drawings, only two such pairs are shown. The lamp groups I I, I3 are connected at one terminal with the main I5., while the groups. I2, I4 are connected at one terminal with the main I6. The mains I5, I6 are connected with any suitable source of alternating current having an electrical center point, such as the secondary I1 of a trans- .iormer, the primary I8 of which may be connected with any suitable source of alternating current. The other terminals ofthe groups of 'each pair are connected with an anode electrode I9, 20,

and 2l, 22, respectively, of a discharge vessel 23, 24 hav-ing a preferably heated cathode 25, 26 and a grid 21, .28,4 respectively. These discharge vessels 23, 24 are of the well known type, permitting the start of the flow of current between the cathode and anode only in case a certain potential is applied to the grid, such current if started not being ailected in its ilow by any further change of the potential of the grid and being only interrupted by switching oi the voltage between the anode and cathode. Regularly, the grids of such i discharge 'vessels are kept at a sufcient negative potential relative to th'e cathode in order to prevent the start of iiow of current after it has once beeninterrupted, and this negative potential has to be reduced, sometimes also to be converted into a positive one, in order to permit a new start of ow of current under appropriate anode voltage conditions. 'I'hese devices may be called hereafter Switching vessels. The cathodes 25, 26 of these switching vessels are connected with the line 29, which is in turn connected with the line 30, leading to the electrical center point 3| of the secondary I'I. y The grids 21, 28 are connected with the cathodes 25, 26 over a high resistance 36, 31, respectively, which permit a discharge of the grids. The grids are furthermore connected with a suitable source of alternating voltage, such as the secondary 38 of a transformer. The primary 39 of the transformer may be fed in any suitable way by an alternating cu'rrent o-f the same frequencyas and being in phase with the one feeding the primary I8. These two sources may be I identical, while the voltages derived therefrom and applied to the lamp groups and grids, respec- 30 tively, will ordinarily be different. The grid 21 is connected with the line 4I! by the lightl responsive device (photo cell) 32, and with the line 4I by the light responsive device (photo cell)v 33. In the same way, grid 28 is connected with line 40 by the photo'cell 34, and with the line 4I by photo cell 35. The line 40 is connected to `one terminal, and line 4I to the other terminal of the secondary 38, the center point 42 of which is connected by the conductor 43 with the'conductor 29A and thereby with the cathodes of the switching vessels, and, furthermore, by the conductor 3l) with the center point 3| of the source of alternating current feeding the -lamp groups. It may be supposed that, in operation, the sources of alternatingl current are-connected with the lamp groups and photo cells, respectively, and that the photo cell 32 will 'be illuminatedto such a degree that it'permits a How of current from the line 40 to the grid 21 suflicient to give the grid 21 a potential permitting the start of flow of ycurrent through the switching vessel. Such current will start from one of the anodes I9, 20, to which a positive half-wave of current is supplied at this time. It may be supposed, that at this 55 time the main I5 carries such positive half-wave of alternating current supplied by the secondary I1, and consequently a current will start to flow from main I5 through lamp group II to anode I9, cathode 25, lines 29, 30, back to the center point 3I of the secondary I1. In such Way, the lamp group II is lit up by the controlling photo cell 32. The lamp group II will be illuminated as long as the positive half-wave lasts. Afterwards, if the negative half-Wave of the alternating current starts and the current changes its direction in the main I5 no current can pass the lamp Kgroup I I any more, this being prevented by the uni-directional valve action of the switching vessel. Through the main I6, however, at the same time, the current of the negative half-wave flows in a direction suitable to pass the lamp group I2 and the gap between anode 26 and cathode 25, through lines 29, 30 back to the center point 3l. Such current can, however, only start to ow if the grid 21 has again a suitable potential relative to the cathode 25. The current in the lines 40, 4I being in phase with the current in the mains I5, I6 and therefore reversed too, photo cell 32 having a uni-directional valve action cannot -be passed bythis reversed current. But photo cell 33, if illuminated, may now be passed by the negative' half-wave owing throughv the line 40, vphoto cell 33, line 42 to the grid 21, applying thereto a voltage suitable to start the iiow of current from the anode 20 -to the cathode 25. Consequently, the lamp group I2 is illuminated.

It is assumed in the foregoing description of operation that the resistances 36, 31 are of such value in comparison to the resistance of an illuminated photo-cell connected in series therewith that at the point of branching E the grids 21, 28, respectively, a positive potential is built up relative to the cathodes 25, 26, respectively, suicient to bring the respective grid to the desired higher potential relative to the cathode. Then, as explained in my co-pending application Ser. No. 692,884, the picture projected upon'the screen of photo-c-ells will be reproduced in the lamp screen in a positive way. Transparent points of the film will then be reproduced by lighted lamps, while dark spots in the lm will be reproduced by dark lamps in the lamp screen. If, however, the resistances 36, 31 etc. are dimensioned otherwise, so that upon illuminating a photo-cell not a suiiicient positive' charge, but a negative charge is brought upon the grid, a kind of negative reprduction will occur, and transparent parts of the stencil or film will be reproduced by dark lamps, and their dark spots will be reproduced by illuminated lamps.

In the same way as two pairs of lamp groups are controlled by co-ordinated switching vessels and photo cells in a combination according to that of Fig. 1, any number of pairs of lamp groups may be controlled, arranging the lamp groups of each pair between the middle line 29, on one hand, and the mains I and I6, respectively, on the 'other hand, interposing a switching vessel having two anodes, one cathode and a controlling grid between each pair of lamp groups and the middle line, while the co-ordinated twophoto cells are to be arranged between the controlling grid and the lines 40, 4I,v respectively, providing a suitable leakage path between the grid and cathode. Also in this exempliiication of my invention it is assumed that the'lamp groups II, I2, I3 and I4 do not comprise lamps having a rectifying eiect, as glow-discharge lamps have,

but that -ordinary incandescent lamps are used.

As to be gathered from the foregoingdescription of Fig. 1, two anodes I9, 2U are to be provid-ed in the switching Vessel 23 opposite a single grid and single cathode in order to establish a uni-directional valve effect for both lamp groups relative to the alternating current supply.

In Fig. 2, a single anode 44 is disposed in the vessel 23 and a single anode 45 in the vessel 28. The above mentioned Valve eiect is obtained by arranging uni-directional valves 46, 41, 48, 49 in every branch containing one of the lamp groups II, I2, I3, I4. supposing a positive half-wave in the main I5, it can proceed only through'the Valves 46, 48 to the lamp groups II, I3 and the switching vessels 23, 24; supposing the positive half-wave is iiowing in the main i6, it can proceed only through the valves 41,-49 to the lamp groups I2, I4 and the same switching vessels 23, 24. But no circuit can be closed from the main I5 to the main I6 through the lamp groups I I, I2, because one of the valves 46, 41 would prevent it according to the actual direction of the current. The function of the photo cells and grids remains the same as described with reference to Fig. 1, because it does not matter whethera current oi correct direction starts within the switchingvessels from one or more'anodes.

Referring to Fig. 3, the curve 50 shows a train of current impulses of changing direction which flows through the lamp groups II, I3, and curve 5I a train of current impulses of changing direction which flows through the lamp groups I2, I4. Apparently, while the positive half-wave 52 passes and illuminates the lamp groups II, I3, due to the Valve action of the switching vessels or of the Valves, the simultaneously occurring negative half-wave 53 cannot pass the lamp groups I2, I4, which remain dark; this negative half-wave is therefore drawn in dotted lines, no current flows in its direction through the system.

A negative half-wave 54 following the positivev one 52 cannot pass, however, the lamp groups II, I3, which now remain dark; this half-wave 54 is shown therefore in dotted lines. There is in phase with this negative half-Wave 54 a positive half-wave 55 capable of passing and illuminating the lamp groups I2, I4, and shown therefore in full lines. For the lamp groups lying on half of the voltage created by the secondary I1, namely between one of the mains and the middle conductor, it is justified, for the sake of convenience, to` speak of two trains of alternating current impulses which are opposite in phase and direcgroups used. e

Obviously one lamp group will thus be illuminated while the other one remains dark, and vice versa. supposing a frequency'of.` 60 periods for the supplying alternating current, it appears that changes occur vafter 1A20 second, which cannot be noticed by the human eye. Further-` more, the cathodes of the switching vessels have always tocarry only the current of one lamp 1 group although two lampgroups are-controlled um, their working parts may be'arranged in th same vacuo as the filament of the'lamps- Il. bviously,l further simplification of this arrange- .v .ment can be obtained in this way.

It is to be understood' that the alternating current used for the purposes of the invention may' either be a regular alternating current derived from proper machines, or a direct current which may be interrupted at a desired frequency, 'relns vals

v sels in the screen 65 and, thereby, the lamps in sulting in a periodic sequence of short iiows of direct current, which are alternatelysupplied by means of suitable commutators in opposite direction to the mains I5, II.` Any suitable comvmutator driven in synchronism with the means for' interrupting the direct current, or itself l causing such interruption simultaneously, may be used for this purpose. v In Fig. 4 the mains I5, I6 and the center conductor `30 are connected with a source of direct 4current by means of a rotating switch clqnsisting of conducting sections 56 separated by insulating sections 51. The conducting sections are connected with a conducting ring 58. Themain I5isv connected with a brush 59 and the main I6 with a brush 60 gliding upon the circum- Ierential surface of the rotating switch, ywhile the f brush 6I is connected with one of the terminals 62 which are to be connected with a' source of direct current. The switch maybe rotatedjin any suitable way, as, for instance, by a shaft 10 and a motor 1I, preferably connected with the samensource of Idirect current as is being connected tothe terminals 62. If' rotating the switch, for instance,with 15 turns per second, then the brush 59 will contact one of the conducting switches 55 four times during each revolution, while the other brush 60 will glide upon an insulating section 51, and vice versa, so that alternately 60 impulses of y direct current will be sentduring each second into the mains I5 and I6, respectively.

In Fig; 5 the lamp groups Il, I2 are combined in a screen `53, the conductors leading to them being combined in a cable 34, or in any other suitable way, leading to the screen 65, on one vside of which the light responsive devices 32, 33,

34, 35 and on the other side of which the switching vessels 23, 24 are suitably arranged. lIt is co-be understood that .these switching vessels of the principal triode type as shown in Fig. 2 and` used. but with two anodes, in Fig'. 1, maybe operatedv either in the particular way described 'hereinbeiorewith blocking voltage or they may be operated as normal' triodes controlling bythe grid the flow lci current in such way that 4current may ow at a certain potential of the `grid relatyive to the cathode, and as long tential is supplied,- provided that a positive halfwave is applied to the gio-ordinatedv anode. 86,"

61 are conductors connecting the devices and vesthe screen 63 with afsuitable source of alternatl ing current. The moving parts of the projector 68 in which a illm, stencil or the like with the pictures and communications to be displayed may be arranged, are driven by an alternating current motor 69 connected withthe same source of alternating current as the devices, vessels and lamps of the screens 83, 65.4 Thereby synchronism .of the transportation of the illm with the as such poalternating current supplied to the screens 33,

cation Serial No. 692,884.

What I claim is:

' l. A: system for displaying pictures and com-l munications by means of a lamp iieid, the lamps of which `are controlled vby light responsive devices arranged to be illuminated in accordance with the desired displaysaid system comprising a plurality of lampgroups, each group consisting of at least one lamp; discharge vessels,each vessel comprising at least a'n anode and a cathode establishing a discharge gap between them and meanscontrolling said discharge,'said gap permitting the flow of current only inv a certain direction and upon application of a certain voltage to its lcontrolling means; means adapted to connect a source of current alternately changing its direction with series-arrangementseach comprising -a discharge vessel and a pair of said lamp groups and'including unidirectional means for controlling the iiow A of current through each of said-lamp groups; light responsive devices arranged in pairs, each pair of them being connected with the same electrodes to said controlling means to control' the start or iiow of current through said 'vessel while the other electrodes' are adapted to be con- -nected to a source of. alternating voltage, said sources of current and voltage. to'be of the same frequency and substantially inphase and each of said pairs of lamp groups. and light responsive de- 'vices connected to opposite poles of their respective sources.

2. A system for displaying pictures and communications by means of alamp ileld, the lamps of which are controlled by light responsive devices arranged tobe illuminated in accordance with the desired d isplayfsaid system comprising a plurality of lamp groups, each group consisting sels, the other ones each with one other terminal of said pairs of lamp groups; means for supplying electrical current of a certain directionl alternatey ly between the first mentioned and one of the othertwo said conductors; light responsive devices arranged in pairs; another three conductors, one connected with the cathode of said vessels, and the other ones each to anelectrode of .one of said devices` of each pair, while the other electrodes of each of said pairs are connected to one of saidcontrolling means to control the start of flow of currentthrough said vessel;' and means -forfsupplying a voltage sumeient to cause or maintain the flow ofcurrent through the controlled vessel alternately-.between the rst mentioned and one of the other tw'o last mentioned conductors, the frequencies of alternations of said ISI)v one being connected with the cathode of said vescurrent andsaid voltage being identical and sub- 1 stantially in phase.

3.l A `system for displaying pictures and communications by means of a lamp field controlled by light responsive devices, arranged to be illuminated in accordance with the desired display; said'system comprising aplurality of lamp groups,

each group comprising at least one lamp; discharge vessels, each vessel having at least one anode and one cathode electrode and controlling means, said rst two mentioned electrodes permitting the flow of current only in one direction through said vessel, such current starting upon application of a certain voltage to said controlling means; means for connecting at least two of said llamp groups each in series with the anode electrode of one of said vessels; means for feeding alternately and successively to each of said lamp groups and vessel connected in series therewith current impulsesof a direction adapted to pass said vessel; means for applying alternately and successively voltages to the controlling electrodes of said vessel adapted to start said current ow substantially in synchronism with said current impulses; and light responsive devices included in said last mentioned means controlling the application of said voltages to said controlling means to control the start of iiow of current through said vessel whereby a single discharge vessel is utilized to control at least two lamp groups.

4. A system for displaying pictures and communications by meansof a lamp field controlled by light responsive devices, arranged to be illuminated in accordance with the desired display: said system comprising a plurality of lamp groups, each group comprising at least one lamp; discharge vessels, each vessel having at least one anode and one cathode electrode and a controlling electrode, said iirst two mentioned electrodes permitting the flow of, current only in one direction -chronism with said source of current, said volt-l age adapted to start 'said current iiow; means for connecting the neutral point of said source of current with the cathode oi said vessel and each terminal of said source with a lamp group connected in series with said vessel; means for connecting the neutral point of said source of voltage with the cathode of said vessels and the terminals of said source with the controlling electrodes of said vessels; and light responsive devices includedin said connections of said latter termi-` nals for controlling the application of said volt- 'age to said controlling' electrode to control the start of iiow of current through said vessel whereby a single discharge vessel is utilized for ycontrolling at least two lamp groups.

5. A system for displaying pictures and com. munications by means of a lamp field controlled by light responsive devices, arranged to be illuminated in accordance with the desired display: said system comprising a plurality of lamp groups, each group comprising at least one lamp; dis-D charge vessels, each vessel having a cathode and aplu'rality of separate anode electrodes and a controlling electrode, said rst mentioned electrodes permitting a flow of current only in one direction through said vessel, such current starting upon application of a certain voltage t said controlling electrode; -means for4 connecting a lamp group` each in serieswith one of said anodes; a source of alternating current having a neutral point; asource oi' alternating voltage having a neutral point and to-be operated substantially in synchronism with said source of current, said voltage adapted to start said current now;- means for connecting the neutral point of said source of current with vthe cathode of said vessel and each terminal of said source with a lamp group -each connected in series with said vessel; means for connecting the neutral point of said source of voltage with the cathode oi' said vessels and the terminals of said source with the controlling electrodes of said vessels, and light responsive devices included in said connections oi'v said latter terminals for controlling the application of said voltage to said controlling electrode to control the start of Vow of current through said vvessel vwhereby a single discharge vessel is utilized for controlling at least two lamp groups.

6. A system for displaying pictures and communications by means of a lamp iield controlled by light responsive devices, arranged to be illuminated in accordance with the desired display; said system comprising a plurality of lamp groups, each group 'comprising at least one lamp; discharge vessels, each vessel having an anode, a cathode and a controlling electrode permitting the start of iiow of current through said vessels upon application of an alternating current having a neutral point; means for connecting the anode oi' each of said vessels with a number of said lamp groups corresponding tothe number of phases of said source of current.' and means for connecting a. lamp group each thus co-ordinated to an anode with a terminal each of said source; means permitting the iiow of current through a lamp group only towards said anode inserted in each o! said series connections between a terminal and an anode; a series of alternating voltage having a neutral point and to be operated substantially in synchronism with said source of current, said voltage adapted to start the iiow of said current; means for connecting the terminals of said source of voltage with the controlling means of said vessels; light responsive devices included in the connections of said terminals for controlling the application of said voltages to said controlling means to control the start of flow of current through said vessel; and

means for connecting the neutral points of said sources of current and voltage with the cathode of said vessels whereby each discharge vessel is utilized for controlling at least two lamp groups. 7. In a system according to claim 4, a common supply oi' said sources o1' current and voltage.

8. In a system according to claim 5, a common supply of said sources of current and voltage.

9. In a system according to claim 4, a common supply of said sources of Ccurrent and voltage and means provided for independently adjusting thecurrent supplied to said lamp groups and the voltages applied to said controlling electrodes and light responsive devices, respectively.

10. In a system according to claim 5, a common supply of said sources of current and voltage and means provided for independently adjusting the current supplied tosaid lamp groups and the voltages applied to said controlling electrodes and light responsive devices, respectively.

KURT RosaNBEaa. 

